Philosophy (Witt) and Communications (Lillie)

As the article “Retrofitting Blade Runner” alludes to Blade Runner was successful, in large, due to its revolutionary visual techniques and depiction of the future. However, after watching the film one can attest that its influence extends much further. The Blade Runner is not only an action film, with fight scenes and love interests, but also is an intellectual film, making us reflect and question our beliefs. The film focuses in on the question of what makes us human. The actual humans in the film believe it is the absence of genetic modification. However, the characters of Roy, Pris, Leon, and, especially, Rachael make us question this. The “replicants” in the film have emotions, hopes, and dreams. They all want to experience love and create a memorable life. And is this not what all human beings desire? Deckard’s struggle with assassinating these individuals after learning about their lives calls even more attention to this problem. This issue, brought into the spotlight in the film, is not only important due to the increased use of technology today but also in our interactions as a global community. We often justify violence or misdemeanor towards individuals of other ethnicities and cultures by pointing out our differences. However, as Blade Runner shows, this differences are superficial. We are all human and share the capacity to love. I believe that Blade Runner is a timeless film due to the enduring lessons and issues it presents.